Leonard Strand was sworn in as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Iowa on June 7, 2012. He was born and raised in Sioux City, graduating from West High School in 1983.

Judge Strand earned a B.A. degree with high distinction from the University of Iowa in 1987. He then attended the University of Iowa College of Law, receiving a J.D. degree with highest distinction in 1990 and graduating first in his law school class.

From 1990 to 2012, Judge Strand practiced law in Cedar Rapids with Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC. When he was in private practice, Judge Strand was a civil trial attorney and was admitted to practice in numerous courts, including the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third and Eighth Circuits; the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, and the state courts of Iowa. He was also active in numerous professional and community organizations.